Judge hits out at council for late changes

AN APPEAL court judge has criticised Sunshine Coast Council for the lateness in which it has sought to add new issues to an appeal for which the trial dates had already been set.

On August 21, Judge Everson, in the Brisbane Planning and Environment Court, will now consider council's bid to have conflict with its 2014 planning scheme included as an issue in the appeal by developer Mal Pratt's Surfing World Sunshine Coast Pty Ltd against council's decision to reject its application to build a shopping centre north of Pacific Paradise.

Council has contended that conflict with its 2014 planning scheme was such as to warrant refusal of the development application, the subject of the 2009 appeal.

Judge Everson expressed displeasure that despite three review hearings since the 2014 planning scheme came into force, at no time had council sought to amend the issues in dispute to raise the conflict.

He said lawyers for council could offer no explanation for the delay in raising the issue.